Hens not laying consistently

[getaclue]

Check them over for mites anyway. Another thing that is very common, and causes problems with laying, is worms. Either do a fecal, or worm them. In many areas, people report that TSC brand of feed is not good, old, or they've had trouble with it. Another brand that has more recently had problems in this area is Mana Pro. The owner of our feed store was having trouble with his hens laying. He did not change to a higher protein, but changed brands, and no more problems with them laying.

 

[aart]

Maybe do pelvics again, checking for bugs at same time.
I do both with a headlamp at night in coop, easier to 'catch' them and I can see better with the bright light..part the feathers down to skin around vent and take a good look.

Depending on what you find there, you might want to confine them to coop and run to 're-habituate' them to the coop nests.

I'd also put them on a ration only diet, the volume of scraps may be diluting the nutrients in the layer feed. Layer feed is meant to be a 'sole ration', says so right on the bag tho you may have to hunt for it.

Curb your expectations of an egg a day from every bird...not gonna happen, even with the pullets. Wonders if your previous flocks were high production breeds?

One last word.....the most consistent thing with the chickens is their inconsistency

 

[HSMomma3]

I don't think you can expect an egg a day from most chickens. 5 a week is very good. You might get 6-7 weekly from sex links but they burn out faster. Of the breeds you list, I've had RIR, BA, BO, leghorns. None of them achieved 6 a week consistently, even my leghorns. My BO gave me at most, 4 a week.

So do you think it was just a fluke that we got so many eggs from our first flock? That flock was exclusively BO and BA, and we got between 10-12 eggs daily from 13 hens (living with 1 roo). Like I said, "basically" an egg a day, and obviously not near that much during the winter months. I'm beginning to wonder if maybe we just got lucky, and got spoiled?. (LOL!)

 

[HSMomma3]

Check them over for mites anyway. Another thing that is very common, and causes problems with laying, is worms. Either do a fecal, or worm them. In many areas, people report that TSC brand of feed is not good, old, or they've had trouble with it. Another brand that has more recently had problems in this area is Mana Pro. The owner of our feed store was having trouble with his hens laying. He did not change to a higher protein, but changed brands, and no more problems with them laying.

Thanks for this advice! Any recommendations of a better brand?

 

[HSMomma3]

Maybe do pelvics again, checking for bugs at same time.
I do both with a headlamp at night in coop, easier to 'catch' them and I can see better with the bright light..part the feathers down to skin around vent and take a good look.

Depending on what you find there, you might want to confine them to coop and run to 're-habituate' them to the coop nests.

I'd also put them on a ration only diet, the volume of scraps may be diluting the nutrients in the layer feed. Layer feed is meant to be a 'sole ration', says so right on the bag tho you may have to hunt for it.

Curb your expectations of an egg a day from every bird...not gonna happen, even with the pullets. Wonders if your previous flocks were high production breeds?

One last word.....the most consistent thing with the chickens is their inconsistency

Thanks for all this!! Yes, Hubby is planning for us to check pelvics this weekend again, and cull the ones who don't measure up. We will be getting some new chicks. But our previous flocks were also BO and BA exclusively. One thing that just occurred to me, our birds since moving to this new farm have all been mail-ordered, since we now have space for more girls (to fill up the 25 chicks you usually have to order)... our first flocks were either from local individuals, or from Southern States/TSC. Do you think that could be the difference?

I will def check for mites again. Several have mentioned that. We had a horrible infestation years ago, and have since been absolutely obsessive about prevention... but I'm sure it's always possible they've sneak'd in. Thanks for the help!!

 

[aart]

One thing that just occurred to me, our birds since moving to this new farm have all been mail-ordered, since we now have space for more girls (to fill up the 25 chicks you usually have to order)... our first flocks were either from local individuals, or from Southern States/TSC. Do you think that could be the difference?

It's possible...not just source, but lineages.
I've heard a few folks posit that hatchery stock has declined in quality with the backyard boom. But I think it's all just a crap shoot, having chickens that is and how well they produce.